Spectators at Philippe Chatrier court, or central court, watch an exhibition game between France's Richard Gasquet and Tomas Berdych of Czech Republic for the 2013 French Open tennis tournament, at Roland Garros stadium in Paris, Saturday May, 25, 2013. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena) less

Spectators at Philippe Chatrier court, or central court, watch an exhibition game between France's Richard Gasquet and Tomas Berdych of Czech Republic for the 2013 French Open tennis tournament, at Roland ... more

Photo: Christophe Ena

Image 2 of 4

Russia's Maria Sharapova adjusts her cap during a training session for the 2013 French Open tennis tournament, at Roland Garros stadium in Paris, Saturday May, 25, 2013. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

Russia's Maria Sharapova adjusts her cap during a training session for the 2013 French Open tennis tournament, at Roland Garros stadium in Paris, Saturday May, 25, 2013. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

Photo: Christophe Ena

Image 3 of 4

Spectators at Philippe Chatrier court, or central court, watch an exhibition game between France's Richard Gasquet and Tomas Berdych of Czech Republic for the 2013 French Open tennis tournament, at Roland Garros stadium in Paris, Saturday May, 25, 2013. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena) less

Spectators at Philippe Chatrier court, or central court, watch an exhibition game between France's Richard Gasquet and Tomas Berdych of Czech Republic for the 2013 French Open tennis tournament, at Roland ... more

Photo: Christophe Ena

Image 4 of 4

Year later, Serena Williams seeks more in Paris

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Paris

In the moments immediately following her stunningly early exit from the 2012 French Open, as her eyes welled with tears and she bemoaned how she's "been through so much in my life," Serena Williams could not possibly find anything positive to take from the experience.

How could she?

For the first — and, so far, only — time in her career, Williams lost her opening match at a Grand Slam tournament. Not merely that, but a woman many considered the favorite to leave with the title lost to a woman ranked 111th and with 20 first-round losses in 46 previous major championships.

And, surely adding to her disappointment, Williams lost after having been two points from victory against France's Virginie Razzano.

When the 31-year-old American returns to Court Philippe Chatrier to play Anna Tatishvili on Sunday — the schedule for Day 1 of the 2013 French Open also features Williams' older sister, 30th-seeded Venus, and 17-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer — she will do so with a different understanding of what went wrong 12 months ago.

"Sometimes I think, 'Should I be happy that I lost last year?' You never know what can happen in your career and why things happen," said Williams, who is ranked and seeded No. 1 in singles and got a wild card Saturday to play doubles with her sister. "So it's been great for me just realizing that every match counts."

She paused, perhaps hearing what her words implied.

"I have always realized that," Williams continued, "but also realizing what I need to do to get better and to stay on top and to be, you know, the best tennis player that I can be."

Rare is the professional athlete who readily acknowledges taking victory for granted against a supposedly inferior opponent. That, though, is what it sounded like Williams was doing.

There are other explanations for what she has done since that defeat: good health, which her mother, Oracene Price, calls the biggest single contributor to Williams' recent success; working with a new coach, Patrick Mouratoglou; and what Williams sums up as "really just staying relaxed and calm" during matches.

But it certainly can't hurt to take every match seriously, including against players such as Tatishvili, who is 2-10 this year.

"You just have to always ... be ready to play," Williams said.

So now she is back at the French Open and is playing as well as, or perhaps even better than, ever.

Williams is on a 24-match win streak, part of a 36-2 record with five titles this season.

Since that loss to Razzano, Williams is 67-3, including championships at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open.